In recent years, many large circulation periodicals have appeared which require rapid handling of portions of the periodicals consisting of signatures which are gathered for binding, trimmed, bundled for minimum shipping costs, and shipped. A typical operation utilizes a multitude of inserter pockets each of which receives signatures seriatum from a signature supply means, opens each signature, and drops the signatures to successively straddle a gathering chain that runs in front of the inserter pockets, and carries the complete collection of gathered signatures to a location for further processing to complete the binding process. Moreover, because of the need for highly efficient plant operations, there has been a constant effort to increase the speed at which machines operate which has required the development of new techniques for handling the signatures at all stages of the binding process.
In addition to high speed operation, many large circulation periodicals are now demanding a degree of flexibility that has heretofore been considered impossible. This is particularly true, for instance, where the periodical wishes to include one or more personalized messages or other customized information or the like, but this must be done without significant reduction in the cyclic rate of operation that would otherwise decrease plant efficiency thereby increasing costs while possibly failing to accommodate the high volume presently produced by the U.S. printing industry which requires that the most efficient possible use be made of manpower, equipment and plant space. Furthermore, since the need for individualized message printing is sporadic, the equipment to achieve this objective should be compatible with a normal bindery line.
In the past, the only known manner of printing an individualized message on an internal signature in a binding operation has been less than entirely satisfactory. More specifically, it is known to print such a message or information on such a signature, provided this is done only after the signature is on a binding line conveyor which means that, due to the high speed operation of a binding line conveyor coupled with the fact that the backbone travels in the direction of travel of the conveyor, any such printing had to be parallel to the backbone (see, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,121,818 and 4,395,031). While this has sometimes been found to be acceptable for certain applications, it would be most desirable to also be able to print in a direction perpendicular to the backbone.
In other words, by printing in a direction perpendicular to the backbone, it would be possible to provide individualized messages oriented in a normal fashion. Thus, the individualized message could be incorporated directly into text already on a given page of a signature where it would appear that the original printing of the signature had incorporated that message. In this manner, large circulation periodicals could achieve a degree and level of flexibility that has heretofore been considered impossible.
Most recently, a successful apparatus and method for individually printing signatures during delivery to a binding line conveyor has been achieved. This apparatus and method is fully illustrated, described and claimed in commonly owned and copending patent application of Gunnar Auksi for: Apparatus and Method for Individually Printing Signatures During Delivery to a Binding Line Conveyor, U.S. Ser. No. 224,332, filed July 26, 1988. Despite the achievement of the apparatus and method of this earlier filed application, it has remained to further the availability of commercially satisfactory techniques.